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Disciples of Astora
The Disciples of Astora (often referred to as the Society of Astora '''or the '''Astorian Scholars) are a secretive group of mages, philosophers, inventors, alchemists, scientists, and other academics who seek to attain lost knowledge. They consider all magical and historical knowledge precious, and thus many dabble in occult magic or old god worship, and for this reason, the Polis Academia has branded them as criminals. History The Disciples of Astora originated in the decades following the fall of the Avylonian Empire. It was originally formed by mages who were dissatisfied with the increasingly strict anti-occult policies of the Polis Academia. While it started simply as a small group of Polis mages who met in secret to organize and hide away the various scrolls and tomes which the Polis was either locking away or destroying, it expanded into an extensive underground group of like-minded individuals who operate throughout Panoulis. Structure There is no governing body or overriding directive for the Astorian Scholars. Rather, they are a loosely affiliated organization of scholarly minded individuals who keep in contact in order to share and protect the knowledge they acquire, but other than that the various members of the Society generally operate alone, conducting individual research without interference from either their fellow society members or the Polis Academia. Influence While they see themselves as simple protectors of knowledge and arcane lore, it cannot be denied that the Astorian Scholars have many dangerous individuals among them. The Society has become a haven for practitioners of the occult and mages who conduct morally questionable work. Many of the "scholars" of the society are simply glorified necromancers, cultists, and serial killers. They often have no qualms about collateral damage or even intentionally using innocents in their research and experimentation. One of the most frightening aspects of the society is that its members are not the typical practitioners of dark magic and mad science most come to expect from such individuals. They do not operate in dank caves and dark sewers, but rather hold oftentimes legitimate places in society. It is not uncommon for doctors, archaeologists, and even government officials to be members of the society. Operations The Society has no singular base of operations, though its members operate in both secluded and heavily populated areas throughout Panoulis. Some prefer the solitude of rural households to conduct their research, while others work in secret in cities and large towns. It is even believed by some of the more paranoid Polis officials that there are Astorian Society members working within the Academia itself, though these rumors have yet to be proven. Name Astora is the name of a mythical city which is believed to have existed where the Polis Academia now stands, which is referred to in various legends and folklore dating back hundreds of years. The Society took on this name during the early years of its inception, and many of its members take on the title of Astora to signify their position to other members of the Society. The Polis Academia does not know the true name of the organization, believing them to simply be a nameless cult operating in the shadows, and so signifying oneself as being "of Astora" is a safe way for Astorian Scholars to recognize one another. Category:Lore Category:Organizations